The two-time Tour champion lost the yellow jersey in the first alpine stage at the hands of Jonas Vingegaard. He emptied himself in the Galibier and paid for it on the ascent to the Granon
Tadej Pogacar is not invincible The Slovenian turned earthy in the first great alpine stage of the Tour de France after more than ten days of absolute dominance. The double champion of the test suffered in his own flesh a bird on the final ascent to the Col de Granon that made him lose almost three minutes with the Danish Jonas Vingegaard.
The leader of the Jumbo and current runner-up has gone overnight to become the top favorite for the highest step in Paris to installment [1.30]He took Pogacar out of the point with a brave attack at six kilometers and did not stop until he reached the finish line with a devilish pace that exhibited the seams of the rest of favorites
The one who sees him closest in the general is the Frenchman Romain Bardet -who wins the Tour is paid to [21.00], who could be a great cheerleader of the race for what remains of the Alps thanks to his great knowledge of the terrain. For the queen stage, an experience that perhaps Vingegaard is a bit weaker.
What the young Dane does have plenty of is equipment. The Jumbo has the strongest structure on this Tour with people like Van Aert, Roglic or Kruijswijk able to control any attack from Pogacar. The Slovenian has a dilemma ahead of this queen stage where three mythical ports will be climbed: Galibier, Croix de Fer and Alpe D’Huez.
Pogacar’s dilemma
The body asks Pogacar for a distant attack to leave everyone stiff, but at the same time he is aware that an ordago of such dimensions can condition the rest of his participation. The champion is 2:22 overall and his share has dropped to [4.00] As for the final victory. He knows that he may have his options if he starts to sand down differences with explosive attacks in the last kilometers in the mountain stages and he bets everything on a final time trial of 41 kilometers that can favor him, but you have to have a head.
The Tour is not lost for Pogacar, far from it, but we will see if his hot blood helps him or ends up betraying him. The Gabilier, who will go up the other side this time, was the one who condemned him the previous day for excessive ambition, wanting to humiliate his rivals.
Alpe D’Hueznevertheless, it is a kinder port for the Slovenian with his 21 horseshoe curves where all the champions have signed their name. The height factor does not come into play as it does not exceed 2,000 meters. Pogacar wants to be the next one and perhaps he will try to evoke Carlos Sastre – who won the 2008 Tour with an attack at the foot of the port – by making that bet.
Jumbo will have to tread very carefully in the face of the fury of a 23-year-old who experienced the first slut of his life. With wounded pride and the desire to put things in his place, his triumph at the mythical peak is listed at [5.00]and that the talent has not disappeared.
If there is still anyone in the room who believes in Enric Mas can bet on his victory in the quota stage [26.00]The Spaniard lost all his general options in the last stage when he reached eight minutes, but that would allow him to have more wide sleeves to attack. We’ll see if he gets to be brave.